Direct और Indirect Speech
Direct and Indirect Speech
When the reporting verb is in the past, the reported speech shifts one tense back, pronouns change to match the speaker, and words of time and place change: now becomes then, today becomes that day, and here becomes there. Universal truths do not shift.
Tense backshift
| Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|
| Simple present | Simple past |
| Present continuous | Past continuous |
| Present perfect | Past perfect |
| Simple past | Past perfect |
| Will | Would |
| Can and may | Could and might |
No backshift when the reporting verb is in the present, or for a universal truth
Changes in time and place words
| Direct | Indirect | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| now | then | today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day | yesterday | the previous day |
| here | there | this | that |
| ago | before | thus | so |
Sentence types
- Statement: use that, and change say to to tell.
- Question with a helping verb: use if or whether, and drop the question mark.
- Question with a question word: keep the word and use statement order.
- Command: use ordered or told, followed by to and the first form of the verb.
- Request: use requested, followed by to and the first form.
Exclamations and wishes
Exclamatory sentences are reported using a verb that carries the emotion. He said, What a beautiful house becomes He exclaimed that it was a very beautiful house. Alas becomes exclaimed with sorrow and Hurrah becomes exclaimed with joy. A wish such as May you succeed is reported using wished or prayed, giving He wished that I might succeed. These forms appear less often than statements and questions but follow equally fixed patterns.
Solved examples
Example 1. He said, I am busy. It becomes He said that he was busy.
Example 2. She said to me, Where do you live? It becomes She asked me where I lived.
Example 3. The teacher said, Close the door. It becomes The teacher ordered us to close the door.
Example 4. He said, The sun rises in the east. A universal truth does not shift, so it becomes He said that the sun rises in the east.
Traps SSC repeats
✗ She asked me where did I live | ✓ She asked me where I lived
✗ He said me that he was tired | ✓ He told me that he was tired
✗ He said that the sun rose in the east | ✓ He said that the sun rises in the east
Exam pointer — Direct and indirect speech gives about 1 question per shift, most often a question or a command form rather than a plain statement. Those two forms are where the word order changes, so practise them specifically. Each question takes 25 seconds once the backshift table is automatic.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the tense not change in indirect speech?
When the reporting verb is in the present or future, and when the reported statement is a universal truth or a habitual fact that remains true at the time of reporting.
How do I report a question?
Use asked, then if or whether for a yes or no question, or keep the question word for a wh-question. In both cases use statement word order and drop the question mark.
How do I report a command or request?
Use ordered, told or requested, followed by to and the first form of the verb. The teacher said close the door becomes The teacher ordered us to close the door.
What is the difference between said and told?
Told takes a person directly after it, while said does not. He told me is correct, and he said me is not; the correct form there is he said to me.
60-second recap
- Past reporting verb shifts the tense one step back.
- Universal truths do not shift.
- now becomes then; today becomes that day; here becomes there.
- Questions use if or whether with statement order.
- Commands use ordered plus to and the first form.
हिंदी में — इसी टॉपिक का पूरा हिंदी अनुवाद नीचे दिया गया हौ
Direct और Indirect Speech
जब reporting verb past में हो तो reported speech का tense एक कदम पीछे चला जाता है, pronouns बोलने वाले के हिसाब से बदलते हैं, और समय तथा स्थान के शब्द बदल जाते हैं: now बनता है then, today बनता है that day, और here बनता है there. Universal truth यानी सार्वभौमिक सत्य नहीं बदलता।
Tense का backshift
| Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|
| Simple present | Simple past |
| Present continuous | Past continuous |
| Present perfect | Past perfect |
| Simple past | Past perfect |
| Will | Would |
| Can and may | Could and might |
जब reporting verb present में हो, या बात universal truth हो, तब backshift नहीं होता
समय और स्थान के शब्दों में बदलाव
| Direct | Indirect | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| now | then | today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day | yesterday | the previous day |
| here | there | this | that |
| ago | before | thus | so |
वाक्यों के प्रकार
- Statement: that लगाओ, और say to को tell में बदल दो।
- Helping verb वाला question: if या whether लगाओ, और प्रश्नवाचक चिह्न हटा दो।
- Question word वाला question: वह शब्द वैसा ही रखो और statement वाला क्रम लगाओ।
- Command: ordered या told लगाओ, उसके बाद to और verb की first form।
- Request: requested लगाओ, उसके बाद to और first form।
Exclamation और wish
Exclamatory वाक्यों को ऐसे verb से report किया जाता है जो भाव को साथ लेकर चले। He said, What a beautiful house बनता है He exclaimed that it was a very beautiful house. Alas के लिए exclaimed with sorrow आता है और Hurrah के लिए exclaimed with joy. May you succeed जैसी wish को wished या prayed से report करते हैं, जिससे बनता है He wished that I might succeed. ये रूप statement और question से कम आते हैं, पर इनके pattern उतने ही तय हैं।
हल किए हुए उदाहरण
Example 1. He said, I am busy. यह बनेगा He said that he was busy.
Example 2. She said to me, Where do you live? यह बनेगा She asked me where I lived.
Example 3. The teacher said, Close the door. यह बनेगा The teacher ordered us to close the door.
Example 4. He said, The sun rises in the east. Universal truth नहीं बदलता, इसलिए यह बनेगा He said that the sun rises in the east.
SSC के दोहराए जाने वाले जाल
✗ She asked me where did I live | ✓ She asked me where I lived
✗ He said me that he was tired | ✓ He told me that he was tired
✗ He said that the sun rose in the east | ✓ He said that the sun rises in the east
Exam pointer — Direct और indirect speech से हर shift में लगभग 1 सवाल आता है, और वह सीधे statement के बजाय ज़्यादातर question या command के रूप में होता है। इन्हीं दो रूपों में शब्द-क्रम बदलता है, इसलिए इनका अभ्यास अलग से करो। Backshift table अपने आप याद हो जाने पर हर सवाल 25 सेकंड में हो जाता है।
Frequently Asked Questions
Indirect speech में tense कब नहीं बदलता?
जब reporting verb present या future में हो, और जब कही गई बात universal truth हो या ऐसी आदत वाली बात हो जो report करते समय भी सच बनी रहती है।
Question को report कैसे करें?
asked लगाओ, फिर yes या no वाले सवाल में if या whether रखो, और wh-question में वही question word रहने दो। दोनों ही हालत में statement वाला शब्द-क्रम रखो और प्रश्नवाचक चिह्न हटा दो।
Command या request को कैसे report करें?
ordered, told या requested लगाओ, उसके बाद to और verb की first form। The teacher said close the door बनता है The teacher ordered us to close the door.
Said और told में क्या अंतर है?
Told के तुरंत बाद व्यक्ति आता है, जबकि said के बाद नहीं आता। He told me सही है और he said me गलत है; वहाँ सही रूप he said to me होगा।
60-second recap
- Past reporting verb tense को एक कदम पीछे कर देता है।
- Universal truth नहीं बदलता।
- now बनता है then; today बनता है that day; here बनता है there।
- Questions में if या whether के साथ statement क्रम आता है।
- Commands में ordered के साथ to और first form लगती है।